CARE to help Yolanda-affected Ilonggos in sustaining livelihood

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More than two years after the disaster, CARE continues to support people and communities heavily affected by super typhoon Yolanda through livelihoods recovery assistance.

CARE, with the funding support from H&M Conscious Foundation, is holding the “Community and Women Enterprise Conference” on August 18-19, 2016 at the Grand Tower Suites, Iloilo City with the theme “Building Resilient Community Enterprises and Empowering Women Entrepreneurs”. The conference aims to share knowledge and good business practices with CARE-assisted community organizations and women entrepreneurs.

“We are pleased to partner with H&M Conscious Foundation to continue helping communities get back on their feet. CARE launched its emergency response within 72 hours after Yolanda and has assisted over 360,000 people in the provinces of Leyte, Western Samar, Capiz, Iloilo, Aklan and Antique. CARE and its partners distributed food and shelter items, provided cash and shelter repair kit, organized school feeding program, provided cash to support livelihoods, and are now supporting women and community enterprises to improve production, storage, processing, packaging and marketing”, said David Gazashvili, Country Director of CARE Philippines.

CARE has invited livelihood experts from relevant government agencies such as the Department of Trade and Industry and Department of Social Welfare and Development, and private institutions to conduct learning sessions with over 100 participants from Iloilo and Antique. The conference speakers will provide sessions on product quality and marketability, government regulations and laws for micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), insurance, among others.

Representatives from the provincial and municipal government units of Iloilo and Antique will also be attending to provide support to the participants.

The participants will also have the opportunity to showcase their products, build new networks and learn basic skills on market negotiation and retail management.

After providing emergency relief and shelter repair assistance to Yolanda-affected communities in the Visayas, CARE currently implements the livelihood recovery projects Community Enterprise Facility (CEF) and Women Enterprise Fund (WEF) providing financial and technical support towards economic empowerment.

In Panay, a total of 172 community organizations composed of farmers and fisherfolks’ associations, local cooperatives and women’s groups have benefited from the CARE support. In addition, 317 women entrepreneurs have been provided with additional financial assistance to start or boost income generating activities such as food processing, handicraft making, food vending etc.

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